Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-12-19
The Story of the Tree.

SiOtCotu6Iy OIHduleHleQ VIII Ul-SEdD-
ed masses of colored wax and thrown
upon waste heap together with coal
ashes and discarded tin cans, what
could have been more unsightly than
this old Christmas Tree But. for
the good | knew it must have done,
staid my steps, meditating on what
its story might be, when there came
a rustling among its dry branches,
and a voice seemed to come in an
swer to my thoughts. And these
were the words:
My home was away out yonder
where the white fields meet the mount
aims. [ can't tell how many years
my brother and / spent playing with
the storm King and whistling in glee
at his fiercest blasts. But there came
time in our lives when all was
changed. An unknown enemy cap
tured us and we were transported to
the pavement of a busy stirring city.
From the groups Of chattering chill
dren about us we learned our mission
The spirit of the crowd seemed i'm
parted to US and we were happy. But
with the gladness came pride, and
with the pride, dissension. Our mer-
its were discussed so often in our
Ioo +Eo+ - +CoI- mn +l,o -,,E1-oc+
and at times the debate became so an
mated that our limbs rustled with
anger. Il am finer than you - "My
limbs are fuller - E'Mv form is more
! perfect - were heard so often that |
wonder anv of us were chosen to bear
/ the gifts that should convey peace
and good will. Finally one of
our members, wiser than the others,
proposed that the matter should come
to an end. None of US could judge
correctly of our own merits. The
only way was for each to perform the
duties that the strong power should
lay upon US, and then after the work
was completed, the festivities ended,
we should meet together, and each
telling his own story, the good ac-
compllshed should be the criterion of
merit. So our contentious ceased.
I had no pride. Mad frolics with
the wind when I was too young to
know my strength, an ugly chip from
a boys knife, and the persistent
crowding of an imperiOus tree, COM
bined to stun my growth, and so mar
red my beauty that l wondered my
self at being brought with my COM
panions.
Turned over and pushed from SIDE
to side as my brothers were selected
and carried away ,jeered at and laugh
ed over for my deformity, | of all,
seemed the only one who would have
no story to tell. At last l was left
alone.
While wishing much that it might
be otherwise, a little carrier boy with
newspapers beneath his arm came
hurrving along his delivery route. l
caught his eve, and slackening his
pace he looked at me so longingly
that had I but possessed the power,
l should have stretched forth my
limbs. Then | heard him say:
'sOh If only l could, but we are
so poor =
Then with a suddenly changed voice
he added. 81 WILL" and turned his
steps and entered the store before
which | was stationed. He was gone
but a moment. Hezreturned in com
panv with a brssk liAlsms$-yho was
rubbing his hartds tgsthk and say
ing good-natured4y- Z
s'WeIl, if I were to Sell it, it would
be a great deal more than sou could
pay, but you see I don't Iasend to,
mean to give it to ysu. And you see
here, my boy and his face just
glowed when be said thA-esis it a
little sister that. is to Be rssde happy
with this unsightly thing? Well, come
.s<iixa~sometime when YOU aresI leisure.
! Isee YOU are a man of LuE sss, and
ak the thing ,5nd may
bsaae some t4ngs the st~f
to make your e less
.-TH boy said thar Yen. o.
his voissswas so queer that l LOOKED
up and found. tssfss Il askfrank eyes
.sTu4laSlsaf1 sSslpssspsas s@sd TIA.
: ioIlv grocer. ssthat will never do
Shoulder your tree and march of
81 must,casfy my.pagsrs frst.i' z
s.An right I SWangef sany ons
stealing it, Id N be ssss,agd no
sell it p &saer
!. And 50 t cafRs abosttAa fei
into the hands Of I'm. Morrisodi wa
carried home and Stored in a qnoc
cupied room ossxEfe tenement thdhs'
that sheltered the beg~ his EeoFet
mother and little invalid sistefrs
i After.eNeIlie was asleep, Tin ans
0 his mother brought in the light anc
looked at me.
T ..How beautiful r said the mother
land how good of you, dear, to thfni
: of it. 1t makes me as happy as
i viii Nellie when Christmas eve come
and she finds what q brothers slnd
At ness has brought her
u ssThat is an ugly tssst IN the ire
ie there. Mr.. Delano saidlsthat was tn
: reason no one would buy it. But d
: YOU know e thought, IN q minute,tha
be we would have It down IN Aunti
ou Burke's room. and that we would pu
u this bare side close to the wall, an
. that crook would just fit around til